Join us LIVE on September 28th where we are going to make SHAKER CARDS! YAY! LINK: marypolanco.thrivecart.com/shaker-card-class/ 50% off ALL ACCESS PASS: marypolanco.thrivecart.com/all-access-pass-mpd-classes-and-more/?coupon=ALLACCESS50OFF TIME STAMPS FOR THIS VIDEO ARE IN DESCRIPTION OF VIDEO:
This might already be in the comments but there is a fifth step...SENDing the cards to people after they're done. Love your videos and classes. Thank you. Best of luck in school!
I send cards to nursing homes via a FB group "Forget Me not", where there's a different home given each Monday. I send about 25 to 30 cards in each package but can only send about 1 every month - postage $10.60 for a padded USPS envelope.
Wow! Did this video hit the mark with me! I was just thinking the other day that my watching tutorials is outpacing my actual crafting time. Thanks for confirming this! Glad I'm not alone!
Glad it was helpful! And no, not alone. So many in the comments shared the same thing. Acknowledging that we are out of balance truly is the first step; then we can make strides to enjoy our hobby more. :)
This video couldn’t have posted at a better time! I’ve already gone through a first purge and destash, sold bundles of items on eBay, it felt really good 😊 and now have craft fund savings account for when I buy something new. Now going through second destash and reorganizing. I’ve decided on storage boxes and categories and if I buy something new and it does fit in the box then something else has to go. I’ve been crafting for 30+ years and I had a lot of stuff that I hadn’t used in years. I’ve recently been talking with a counselor from employee assistance program to help me cope with the loss of my mother to pancreatic cancer and I was amazed how much she helped me realize that I was buying stuff as a coping mechanism. One thing I do now is that I give myself 24 hours. I’ll put stuff in an online shopping cart but I don’t check out , and then go back in 24 hours …if I decide I still want them then I’ll check out but I found that if I wait more often then not I’ll decide the purchase isn’t necessary. Sorry for the novel length comment, but I really appreciate the thoughts you shared here. 😊
This is so me. In have thousands of dollars of supplies that I bought after my mom passed and I haven't used any of them. Going through my 1st purge now.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I'm so sorry for the loss of your mother; I'm sending lots of love and comforting hugs your way. That is such an important revelation about your buying and I love your process of waiting 24 hours. I decided to do the same after reading this and NOT hit purchase on the 4 pairs of pants that I don't need. I appreciate you...and so does my wallet.
I’ve been stamping for over 25 years and I have a tendency to buy things that I like but not necessarily use, I’m sure I’m not the only one. I’m in the process now of clear and cleaning out. This video really hit home and I thought …how did she know that about me! I think there is a Mary in my head. I feel that after watching this I need to go over and get rid of more things. I really need to just quit buying, it seems like after watching some videos I always get something. My husband said to me that the mail lady asked if I was ok…. I hadn’t got any packages lately 😂 See ya on the next video, can’t wait for the shaker class!
I think we are all pretty similar in this crafty world. I have definitely slowed my spending down because I have so much after decades of crafting. Thanks for all of the information. It is all very helpful.
I finally cleared out all of my craft supplies that my fantasy self was never going to use. It took me many years to come to the reality of my life. I love to sew, but then all of the gorgeous papers and inks and stamps came into my room mysteriously. I loved them all, but never made a card or creation. Finally, I donated all of it to groups at church and 4-H. What a relief and back to my guilt free passion of sewing garments for myself and kids!
You are right on about the 4 parts of the Hobby! The creativity gets the least amount of time. I’m glad I’m not alone in that but really want to change it. Thank you! ❤
This video is so timely for me. Absolutely brilliant. It's as if you're telling me that the thoughts I've had about decluttering my quilting are okay. I just am not doing it as much. I haven't touched my sewing machine in over six months. Partly due to the stuff piled on it. Same with the sewing room. My table is piled high. There's way too much fabric in there for such a small room. I'm going to get started later today. And work on it tomorrow and for several days, maybe weeks in the future. Thank you.
I'm so grateful it could be helpful to you. Take the time that you need and go through the mental process. I promise you'll feel so much better. I'm excited for you!
You nailed it with the 4 parts of the hobby! I do way too much tutorial watching which leads to craft purchases that just sit. This is sort of the reason I cancelled most of my craft/stamp subscriptions. I’m in the process of moving which means a new craft room. I plan on letting some things go so I’m not as overwhelmed. Awesome video, Mary and perfect timing!
What a great video! My biggest problem is letting go of things that I no longer use. My dad grew up in the depression and didn’t get rid of things, he always said he might need it and that he spent money on it. So every time I go to declutter I hear my dad’s voice saying “don’t throw that out” . All the points you made I needed to hear so thank you for sharing. 🥰💕
I'm so happy this was helpful. I'm concentrating in Neuroscience in school and am finding out all the fascinating ways our brains live our lives for us, without us even realizing it. Having these revelations has created so much freedom for me I can't even tell you. I understand why your dad did that; it makes total sense. The great news is, you can choose for you now and create the joyful space you want. I had to give up how guilty I would feel donating things people gifted me but I realized they don't live in my house everyday, I do. So I just can't hold onto that guilt anymore.
Great video! I'm lucky that a local craft store has a yearly garage sale at their store. They give you a number, you price your items, they sell your items, you get a store credit. I do a destash at least once a year for this sale. I just did some rearranging of my craft area and did a small destash. For the person with the overstock of paper, I use paper buster templates for a pack of paper and then donate the cards. It uses the paper and it makes me happy to create and donate.
Hi Mary. I enjoyed your video and will be using it to destash and arrange my craft room soon. There will be many things that will go out in my new she-shed so I can craft in there come springtime. I always enjoy your videos. Thank you very much. 😊
Mary, you are such an inspiration. I love watching all of your videos and have taken several classes. I have recently cleaned out my craft area. So many things you talk about resonates with me. You have so many things on your plate take good care of yourself please. Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing this feedback; I'm so glad you're here and join me for classes! I do have a lot on my plate but I've scaled back immensely to make the kids and school my top priorities. It's been a great feeling to have lots of "down" time (the reason I don't want to fill it with more hobbies that I don't love). A few years ago, I decided to work on living as a human being and not a human "doing"! :) I always need a reminder though so thank you for that.
This is a fabulous video, Mary. I reorganize and purge every 6 months. I watch while I craft. I also cut down who I watch. I don't watch channels that I hardly ever learn from. The videos/channels have to be one I learn from regularly. It has helped me to be way more creative on a daily basis.
I haven’t even got all the way thru the video yet, and omg this is perfect. The mental part is the hardest to let go of stuff even though you love it or the money spent. Thank you Mary! Exactly what I needed to hear. I am excited to purge and with a realistic outlook.
This means so much to me; thank you for sharing your feedback. I think that's why I spent half the video on it; it's the most important part for making those FINAL changes we want. Thank you!
Thanks for this video! I'm also a hybrid--but after investing in a Cricut Joy, I labeled everything! The cat moved too fast, or I'd have labeled her, too. 😂 When I first started cardmaking, I made two mistakes. 1)I thought I needed every gadget (ie., gel plate) 2) I bought cheaply made products that didn't give great results (stamps/dies). Now, I'm careful about what I buy and resist the temptation to purchase. I put it in my cart and think about it. Good products are worth the investment--like a Misti or guillotine trimmer. Finally, I go through my limited supplies and if I haven't used something in awhile, I put it in a separate bin. If I don't use it in 3-6 months, I give it to my friends daughter who is a 3rd grade teacher. Teachers love craft supplies! Thanks again!
Great informative video Mary 🥰 I love watching tutorials, but i use it as inspiration. I know what my style is now and I don't want to buy things i don't use ❤️ thanks for sharing and happy organizing Hugs xx I would like to see your new craft room 👍
I love the Clutterbug! I’ve been working through my house using her techniques. I have done 1 purge of craft supplies but I know I need to do more. I’ve also severely limited my buying of products and try to use what I have to get the same look. Thanks!
I’ve been working on not buying more things. I put what I think I want in the cart on the website and if I haven’t gone back to buy it after a few weeks I delete it. I’m not buying out of excitement for that new shiny item. I’m still working on my organization. Thanks for always giving great advice and a good way of looking at things.
Great addition of #5; totally left that one out. I keep an excel with all my names and address and each month I try to go through and send off random cards then I highlight them in yellow. I restart at the beginning of every year.
This is such a great topic! I’ve been taking a hard look at my supplies and what doesn’t excite me any longer, things I haven’t used in a year or years, things I bought because I had FOMO. After clearing out some drawers and shelves, I already feel more creative and have worked on more cards and layouts since! Looking forward to seeing how your room turns out. TFS!
Thanks Mary for another informative video!! A lot of what you said reminds me of myself!! I buy even when I have several of a particular item, for instance I have 9 die cutting machines 3 electric, 4 manual and 2 mini ones!! I just can’t get rid of any!! Patterned paper I hardly use, but figure I might, and I don’t!! Lol As far as buying stamps, dies and stencils, If I want it I will buy it!! I have several right now I never used!! But I always figure since I am retired I can craft whenever I want so eventually I will use everything, lol!! One thing I always try to buy is stamps with the matching dies if it’s available, I don’t like fussy cutting unless I really need to!! 😊
I think it only starts to be a problem when it affects us negatively in some way (financially/constant guilt) but if buying brings you joy I say go for it. :)
@@marypolancodesigns I enjoy it and never feel guilty!! When you make a card and it puts a smile on someone’s face, that’s worth all the time you spent on making it!!
Speak it! So true that our paper crafting hobby is actually multiple hobbies rolled into one! I love all aspects, but I sometimes allow the acquisition to get too far ahead of organization. Then I feel a little short on craft time because I have to sort it all.
Exactly that's what happened to me. I feel so much lighter after getting rid of all that stuff. Well, I haven't totally gotten rid of it yet.I'm going to put it for Sale
This is great advice, Mary, and reflection of how we are derailing ourselves. Buying too much and crafting too little - I am guilty of that! Thank you for sharing with us.
My local scrapbook store has a flea market every year. This year I was quarantined in my craft room so I went through everything and packaged it and sold them….I made over $400 credit towards new craft supplies. However, the lesson learned was that over the years I spent too much on things that I never used. Now I am more mindful of “add to cart”.
I’m a 25+ year stamper and I’ve learned a long time ago that when watching videos, most every card can be recreated with product I already own. I learned this a long time ago, mostly because my craft fun’s is not unlimited and because one of my customers (I was a demonstrator) went bankrupt buying stamping products! That was a real eye opener. With that said, I use to buy things in quantity. I made the projects but always had leftovers. Those are the items that I keep hanging on too and I really need to admit that I’ll never go back to them. Thanks for the reminder! Good video, can’t wait to see your progress.
Great point about leftovers; I stopped keeping scraps of paper a few years ago. I don't make enough in bulk to keep going back to them. If it's large enough for a die i'll keep it but likely it's getting recycled.
This was very informative and reassuring of how I think I manage my room. Right now I’m frustrated by mess but I intend to start with getting rid of things I just don’t need and giving it to my granddaughters new school. I’ll ask them first if they can use these things. I’m not buying much anymore because I don’t know where to put it. Christmas card making is coming up and I make close to 100 cards and need room to spread out. Thanks for your help. BALANCE is the key word.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I'm so grateful that it was helpful to you! I find myself needing this reminder often and after I purged this last time, i feel GREAT!
GREAT video! I am lucky that a friend's daughter is a elementary school teacher, and anything she doesn't want she takes to the school. I have definitely been guilty of I see it, I want it. I have purged a few times in the last year - in May I gave her over 100! items. I still need to do more. Learning to let go of the "I spent money on it" guilt is rough, but once you get past that, at least for me, it made it so much easier to see those supplies for what they were - clutter. Something I've also started doing is being realistic about the supplies. While I may like it and may have used it a few times, how many Halloween cards do I *really* send every year? How many Christmas, etc.
That’s a huge one! I never bought Halloween stuff because I couldn’t imagine sending a Halloween card, but for some reason last year I got sucked into buying some. Now I need to donate them to someone who actually enjoys making Halloween cards/goodies. The companies make it hard with a release every month and make you feel like you must have these things. I need to learn what I really love and just buy those things.
I agree, that's why I don't really watch release videos much anymore. I think it's fun but I also realize I have similar things to what they are selling.
Wow!! You just smacked me over the head - I’m so imbalanced! Way too much time spent in the first three and no where near enough of the crafting! Thank you, Mary!!
Take comfort in the fact that you aren’t alone. Trying very hard to find the proper balance. Hard when the room is overflowing with “stuff” as well. I don’t want to toss it if I will use it, but I haven’t used it because I have too much stuff. Vicious circle!
Indeed it is! That's why I spent the first half of the video talking about mindset and discovery. I really think that's the main way for us to break through and pair down.
Thank you for this video, Mary!! I’m 78 and have been making cards for 28 years. I really haven’t eliminated anything from my stash, although I did teach a class here in our clubhouse for several years, and used my stamps, machines, inks, papers, embellishments, etc. The ladies made 3 cards, learning new techniques, etc., and the best thing was that every one of these ladies now makes cards! Anyway, it’s time to purge, and you’ve made me feel good with the last 28 years, but I’m not quitting - I always have a card “on the go” and still love this craft!! Looking forward to seeing your new look!
Fabulous video! I appreciate the steps to help me think about my stuff. I am going to skip your next class as I do not like shaker cards. I am planning to watch a few of the Stress Free Summit videos or just use my crafty stuff my way. Thanks for sharing.
Mary, you made so much sense to me. Your thought process about destashing, organizing, and keeping out things you use all the time and putting other items away, out of sight, but still very accessible is what I want too. Please share your thought process of how you will arrange your new crafting spaces. I'd like to have my stamps, dies, stencils by company, then by theme - divided and labeled, then stored by company in alpha order if room is available. I want a separate section just for Christmas/Winter by company, then by theme (Bells, Nativity, Santa, Snow, etc.) Do you have a better system?
I dont have a better system than that! Sounds great. It also depends on what you use your crafting for too: hobby or business. Mine is more business so I make sure I label with company so I can answer questions about them but not all care to do that. Sounds like you figured out what works for you tho
Thank you for this, Mary. One thing I've tried to be more mindful of in recent months is the cost of my purchases. I have noticed that many (at least, it seems like many) stamp companies have gone to 6x8" stamp sets. Which take up more room in my organization system, simply because I need wider containers for the wider sets. Because I don't get large stamp sets that often, I also make my own storage pockets for larger sets, rather than buying already-made ones. So it takes me a little more time & effort to put them away. Also, the larger stamp sets are more expensive. And, if I choose to get the coordinating dies, welllll.... I used to get coordinating dies almost automatically when I would get stamp sets, figuring it was just easier to use those than fussy cut or find some other way to use the stamps (e.g. on a separate panel on my card). Especially since I always struggled with fussy cutting and getting a fairly even margin around the image so that it looked good. Thankfully, a while back I learned a technique from Kristina Werner - sketch a cutting line around an image or greeting to guide me when I cut. It is an extra step, but not much longer than lining up a die & taping it in place, & I find it SO much easier to erase an errant pencil mark than to miscut with my scissors. I'd call it a game changer, at least for me. So now, when it comes to coordinating dies, I am much more thoughtful. Is there something about those dies that is much harder to do with scissors and/or a craft knife (e.g. do they cut out an interior portion that would be really hard to do by hand)? Or do I need to make a lot of the same image for mass production, which would be more facilitated by having dies? (Spoiler alert - I rarely do!) Or can I just fussy cut after drawing around the image? The positive answer often goes to Question #3. Also, I have several stamp sets that never had coordinating dies, so I have to fussy cut them if I want a cut-out image anyway. So Kristina's method helps with those, too. Anyway, that's the long version of one example of watching my $$$. Thank you again for sharing your views. I kind of cringed when you were showing the chaotic condition of your space, though. Hopefully, if you are still dealing with that, it won't last too much longer. Take care, & I hope you have a fabulous day! :)
wow thank you so much for all of this great information. I love the sketch idea you shared and the questions you ask yourself before buying dies. Very clever! I cringed at my space too...haha but thankfully it's not like that right now. I'm about 2 days away from a finished room. woot woot! I can't wait. I am trying to start off my week organized, ready, and mostly inspired!
Really hitting it Mary! I have been purchasing WAY to much for 2 years straight now. Getting back in to stamping after many years away, I felt free to purchase any and all the things, because I could. I didn't have it already, I had the space and money. NOW my space is overflowing, and nope, haven't used a fraction of the things. I'm not ready to purge as it's all new to me and I WANT to use it. Have to have a serious talk with self and slow down on the buying and speed up on the making/crafting/having fun! Yep, all the 4 parts of our hobby is totally accurate. My goal is to do more classes and in fact I purchased your bundle on your Labor Day sale. Thank you! Just have to put it in my calendar to now DO some classes! I don't know how you do all you do. Simply amazing girl! Happy Weekend!
I'm so happy you'll be watching the classes; let me know if you have questions along the way. I was running into the same issue with having the space therefore filling it with stuff. I am actually able to now rework my whole space for what I need today, because I was able to make so much space from the purge. Super excited to show it.
I’m in the process of sorting my craft room and trying to decide which crafts to give up😬. Thanks for this video at has been very helpful…as long as I implement everything you talked about😂. You hit the nail on the head in so many instances, I feel this was just what I needed, thank you
Just what I needed to hear! Thank you for these reflections as I am soon to be a new retiree will have some "extra" time but "less" spendable money. My craft space needs to be more serene and less chaotic and I am looking forward to putting your ideas into practice. P.S. I may need to re-watch this video! 💗
Thank you for the video! I have been moving my craft room to a different room. I've used that to destash. I’ve been donating my treasures to a family in my church who homeschools. I feel very good about giving it away, and if there is something I really want to use, I can borrow it. Win/win.🙂
Hi Mary, absolutely wonderful thoughts on why we, the crafters, hold onto thisngs. I've been through that process myself. I've gotten rid of half of my books (it was tough, because my books are a sort of sacred items for me) and created space to put my other stuf I can't live without. That was such a game-changer. I loved the first hint: "Give yourself grace." So true and very important. When I de-cluttered my books I remembered exactly when and where I bought each one. It told me something about the frame of mind I was in when the book was bought. Am I still in that frame of mind? Nope. Bye-Bye book. I had someone over with me, and she was impressed on my memory and that I was able to get rid of books despite the memory. I think that many of us crafters are "hunter-gatherers". It is true for me. Currently I am de-stashing my beads. Hard to believe but I have more han a dozen of those small-parts magazine boxes filled to the brim with beads. All of those except two will have to go. Why two? Well, I've been ruminating over the issue, Which sizes and colors do I absolutely love? About two years ago I donated two pounds of beads (mostly acrylic and plastic) to a kindergarten near me. The lady there was absolutely over the moon. She even got a few spools of elastic.thread. She was so happy she even hugged me for the donation. I've also donated a huge stash of papers to moms of elementary school kids. My friend brought them to her workplace and she told me when she was returning after hanging up her coat, the bags were plundered, i.e. empty. That is such a happy feeling. I just deeply root for paper-crafting, that is card making, bullet joutrnals and calendar making, water coloring and zentangle. That's the stuff I'm going to keep. It's still a lot. But I have the space to keep it. Yep, I love Cas from Clutterbug as well. What I've learned from Jessica from "How to ADHD" is the point of performance. Keep the things you need the most at arm's length. In the meantime I have a craft cart. On that cart I keep the tools, the die-cutting machine, the stamping platform, the paper trimmer, the laminator. I wheel it over to where I'm crafting and I'm set. I loved your video, Mary. Thank you.
My goodness, everyone is in my head today! I do have PTSD and it shows out in my card making. I love Cas from Clutterbug also. Now I am ready for manifestation and pray that I am able follow through!
Oh thank you so much for sharing all of this; it's so helpful to hear how others do it and things you 've gone through as well. I have a hard time donating some books because I feel the same about them. It's a process.
Mary I so needed this video. I have been struggling getting back into my overstuffed craft room. Time to purge “you said $ is already gone and not going to recoup $ every week by keeping it!” Guess items from 2007 fit that category 😂
Thanks, Mary. Good video! I'm not just a crafter, but a former teacher. Teachers save EVERYTHING, so when you combine the two activities, you can guess what my craft area looks like. I agree there is a psychological aspect to buying/collecting/saving. Many Decluttering websites address the psychology of holding onto stuff, and they really helped me to work through my tendency to keep stuff. You said many of the same things they do.
My sister is a teacher.So I understand this completely. It's so hard sometimes , especially if you don't know what the future holds for you and you may need That Item again
Great video, Mary! I destashed last year and am ready to do the second purge in the next few months. It felt great to clean up my space and have room to operate. I think my biggest problem at the moment is the "what if" mindset. I'm in the middle of cleaning out a den closet which I think was completely filled with "what if" items. I think your advice to think about the mindset first is right on point!
Thank you so much for sharing this. That what if mindset really held me back from actually decluttering my space. I just had to get super honest with where I'm at and where I'll never be again.
I definitely have hoarding tendencies. When I was clearing my late mums house I did a bit of clearing out of my own house. It felt cathartic at the time but I bitterly regret some of the things I got rid of. It’s good to declutter but take time to consider and don’t feel ‘guilted’ into keeping things that make you happy or have happy memories attached.😊
Agree completely; we have to be ready to let some of the things go and my hope with this video was trying to help people get ready in their own way. Thanks for sharing this!
What great timing, Mary, I was in my craft room today and I felt overwhelmed with all the stuff. Thank you so much for sharing your organizing thought process. I appreciate it
I have worked very hard on identifying what I will actually use and what my fantasy self would like to use when it comes to buying and to keeping supplies. I have also made a list of items in my studio I want to use - and I have been slowly working my way down that list. I have decluttered my studio numerous times, but it could take another round! TFS.
I am so glad I found you and this video. I retired last May from my teaching job and want to declutter my whole house and my craft room and my sewing room. You gave me a lot of good points to think about and will start implementing them.!!
I'm so happy it was helpful and encouraging. You just have to start, that's really it. Do it slow or fast, doesn't matter, just start creating your space how you want it.
I've been making. Cards, since 1990, and I sold stampin' up for a while, but I didn't like the way they handled a lot of things, so I quit. I'm working on my studio a little at a time. I got rid of a lot of things, but I can't seem to stop buying things that are new. So I'm between a rock and a hard place, but I do like all your tips. Mary. I think you did a great job. So the next time you wanna come to Florida, you can come help me design my studio, LOL.
This video is SPOT ON! I'm overrun with craft supplies, aside from just the clutter, it also creates decision fatigue! Thank you for the video, and reminding me why I need to purge!
Such a wonderful, caring video, Mary. Thank you! Oh yes, the “just in case” clutter! There’s also the fantasy clutter - if I had this *supply,* I would be so creative and make All the Things. And wouldn’t procrastinate! lol A wonderful nonprofit thrift shop in Rockville, MD (Life 4 Animals) that donated proceeds to animal rescue groups, closed. I used to donate so so much to them, and was told everything sold so quickly. But I don’t have a good place now for card making supplies - I’ve looked extensively. I’m a member of Take Back Your House with your Cas (Clutterbug), Dana K White (Decluttering at the Speed of Life and many more books) and Dawn, the Minimal Mom (terrific if you’re not a mom too). They’re having a huge sale now for their course, and there’s an ongoing FB group and events. No affiliation other than being a member!
I love watching her videos and did see their course; i'll have to check it out for sure. I wish I knew of a better MD drop off place other than the Good will, Unique, and Donation Nation which is where we frequent. They are thrift stores.
@@marypolancodesigns we used to live in Montgomery County but moved to NoVA and still donated to Life4Animals in Rockville. It wasn’t a bad trip non-rush hour. Now we donate to The Treasure Hound in Fairfax County, which supports a rescue group, plus Second Chance Thrift & Gift that benefits the Humane Society. But heavy duty card making supplies like dies and stamps? No. I did donate 8 bankers boxes filled with super sized paper paint chips and other items (from when I had a color consulting business) to an art teacher. These are large chips some paint manufacturers provide to architects/interior decorators/designers/color consultants. Fairfax County school system has an on-line system for donations to teachers. You submit a form with a donation description, and if approved, they’re listed and teachers can respond. It was less than an hour before the art teacher responded to my listing - I was shocked!
I am definitely out of balance. I watch A LOT of tutorials and have now procured much of the products. When I do sit down to try some of the projects I've seen, I give up because I can remember it exactly or I haven't t developed enough skill to make it look "good." This has been an ongoing thing my whole life and I'm really trying to be more mindful of just forcing my self to continue the project, even when I didn't do it well. Completion is my goal.
Well I hope you know you are in good company! So many of us do this and I have been feeling like it's taking the joy out of my sessions recently. I think I'm going to go back to doing live classes once a week so I can get to producing more.
This was a fantastic video. I'm in the process of rebuilding a house, so I only have a small table to work on. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to hunt and peck for every craft supply. It really prevents me from doing anything bc I get overwhelmed thinking about taking stuff out and then having to clear the table off for dinner. I can't wait to get into my space and organize. I will definitely need to rewatch this video before I do as a refresher. Thank you so much for all you do!
I hear you on being displaced. Since I started crafting I've moved 6 times and each time it takes me forever to get situation into what works for me. I can't wait for you to get into your space either. :)
I feel like I've just met my clone. hehe hehe You are a Mary P, I am a Mary P..and you have described me to a t! I have been "re" organizing my craft room yet again. I'm down in the basement, so it's no beautiful place, but I am working on purging items that I have. All of the things you mentioned..guilt, et. are reasons I have so much. Lots have been given to me, but it's time to let that stuff go. And your right..if you haven't used it in years why in the world am I hanging on to it?? Sorry, rambling. One thing that has helped me tremendously is filing cabinets. I have 3 full sized ones (only had to buy 1 for 12 bucks) and they have made a huge diff. I don''t like to see all of the stuff, so having my paper and stamps/dies in the filing cabinet has lifted a huge load off. I file by company so I know where my stuff is and the only things I have hanging out are the pretty sprays and inks. yay :D Great video..thanks for putting it out.
Yep, I need to purge. Both card area and art studio. I LOVE to watch card making & Sean the Sheepman videos, with morning coffee. (Have Patriot my border collie and love Sean in Scotland & his collies). Only do 1 hour each morning now. I do a lot of ink work and will only use Ranger distress products. ONLY buy what I feel I will use (stamp & die wise). No more Christmas stuff - won't live long enough to use what I have (purge some of that). You hit it on the nail head on a lot of things kiddo. Great video. Thanks
Thanks so much for all this! It took me a while to figure these things out so if they are helpful to even one person I'm happy. I love your system, sounds perfect.
thank you, Giving myself grace was the best advice, I often feel overwhelmed and guilty for having such a messy room with so much stuff, it will be a slow process for me,
I've lost 3 homes due to domestic violence and lost everything. I didn't have anything for a long time. I became disabled after the last time and was in a women's refuge. I got a lovely bungalow and started craft for the first time. I believe that I have kept hold of things as I went without for so long and I'm slowly getting back my confidence sadly not health. I plan to start decluttering so I can have a nice space. I'm at the stage that I'm overwhelmed and not crafting. Thanks for this
Thank you so much for sharing this part of your story. I love that your diving into some of the reasons for keeping things; remember to go slow if needed and be kind to your choices along the way. Soon you will design a space you love and you'll get back to creating!
I watch in the evening. Create during the day. Shop 1 time every month i store all after use. And purge once a year but my space is stil a disaster! Haha ce
Really enjoyed your video. I think the actual creating part has shrunk to about 10% for me. Watching tutorials and browsing on Pinterest has expanded to about 80%. I was more creative when I only had a few supplies and I came up with ideas on my own. 🤔
This right here! It is a hard sell for us to understand that less actually is more. Since I've gotten rid of so much I find myself being more creative with what's left over.
Mary, Thank you so so much!! This was so very helpful!! I did feel guilty for a while about buying and then not using it!! But what you said that I have already spent the money is so true!! I have a friend that I give the supplies to. Her grand kids come over and they have something to play with!! I did to go through my supplies again!! I also not buying anything more for a while as I need to see what I am going to keep!! Thanks so much!! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!
I post some of my things on facebook marketplace and put some requirements for things like free to scrapbookers so I know that the things are going to the right people. Some things just won’t be good for a kindergarten class to use. I love being able to share my things with someone else and seeing how excited they are.
How did you get into my head Mary? I'll be moving in about a year and I need every minute to clean and purge. I have a lot of stamps, dies, and paper. Over the last few years I realized I like making cards with dies more than stamping. I have loads of ribbon and paper that I never, ever use. Thank you for telling us this is a process and won't be done in a day.
I’m glad you mentioned this. I was very I’ll and while I was “away” from crafting, dies took over. I jumped in and realized, I don’t like creating with dies a lot. I do enjoy some, but mostly it’s just too fiddly for me, and I like stamping and coloring more. Even though we like opposite things, isn’t it nice to have that knowledge about yourself? Now I am busy trying to purge many of the dies I bought.
I am so glad you brought that up, that fact that you've realized you like working with dies over stamps. This is another key component to knowing our space. What do we actually like to work with. I find myself drawn to making backgrounds and using dies as well; stamps for sentiments. It helps when I'm decluttering to revert back to this. Thank you!
Hi Mary! I recently moved and had to do alot of purging. I moved from a small house to a one bedroom apartment because I could not keep up with taking care of a whole house by myself. So I had to donate, recycle, and just throw alot of things away. I am in my new apartment now and I still need to downsize because I stil have too much stuff. Right now as I watched this video I decided to make another trip to a thrift store to donate a few more things. I am also in the mddle of reorganizing the things i still want to keep to make my new living space more usable and not just a lot of storage space. Therefore I have a craft corner, a music corner, and a writing/inspirational area. And I am still working on setting up my new home as I want it to be. thank you for all the great ideas that you have shared in the video.
This sounds wonderful.Thank you so much for sharing. I know you'll make your new space exactly as you want it. I. Feel so drawn To have so much Less these days.
Thank you so much for this. I saw myself in pretty much everything you said. I do need to destash old hobby supplies…you’re right, I already paid for them, so keeping & not using isn’t giving my money back 😂TYFS!! 🌺🌺
Thanks Mary I loved this and yes I agree on the 5th..sending. At first I made about 200 cards in all kinds of genre. My husband politely mentioned "What are you going to do with all those cards,honey?" I was on a creative roll and just laughed and said..."I guess give em to people I dont know" Well, I started taking a package of about 15 cards 4 times a year to the assisted living center in our town. It feels pretty nice to see them smile. Most of them want to send cards to grand or great grandchildren. Keep up the good work. And thank you again... Ps..i have the same zebra carpet runner as you in your hallway!..lol
Great video Mary - Thanks for making it. I would add a 5th part to this wonderful hobby of ours and that is "What do you do with what you've created?". And perhaps a 6th part of "How do you give back to others?". I think if we plan all the way through the process it helps us use more supplies and feel good about it, which makes us want to create more.
Great video, Mary. I started making cards, but have become bored with it. Now, I'm trying to use up everything I have and maybe throw some stuff out. Thank you.
This is really great self-reflection. I walked away from my space for a few weeks because I was looking at with frustrated eyes and part of it was because I felt pressure to create when I just wanted to play. That's hard as a youtuber sometimes. You want to have content that is useful but the process can throw off creativity at times. Thanks so much for sharing
Mary, thank you so much for this video! After almost two years , I am finally getting my craft room organized. It had gotten so bad I couldn't focus in my room and had started bringing things down to my dining room to make cards. Everytime I tried to get organized, I'd get sidetracked by a stamp set. Or paper. Or even my ink pads....thinking oh this will make a beautiful card! I've been putting a lot of thought into the layout and what would work for me. Also how I wanted to store my stamps, dies. Now that I've figured all that out, I'm slowly (oh so slowly) getting them put into place. I also had gotten into buying way too many stamps and supplies. Getting to the place I'm in now has been a challenge. I'm thankful for the journey and looking forward to an organized space I can create in! Your video was a validation for me.....slow and steady is what I've needed to get to this point. Thank you again!
Thank you so much for sharing this; you hit on a lot of the things I've experienced too. My "sanctuary" was turning into a stress point for me so change had to be made. I'm so very excited about it! I think the content of my videos is even going to shift a little bit. More ideas into using our items.
I thought I 'needed' an xtool. It was fun, lots of work. I soon realized I would rather play with my cricut and paper, etc. What a relief I felt as my son drove away with it. He's really into it and having a grand old time!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video! You shared a LOT of really helpful info, specifically with letting go. And I 100% agree that crafting is a 4 part hobby lol. I'm currently in the process of going through my entire stash I've built up over the years. I'm finally being honest with myself, a lot of purchases were impulse because it was cute or had an idea in the moment and never went through with it. And now it's to the point I have so much I don't use, I'm overwhelmed. So I'm slowly destashing. Going to try to sell some stuff online and possibly have a garage sale soon, and whatever doesn't go will be donated. It's a lot to do and go through, but I think it'll be worth it! Good luck with your own purge and rearranging! I'll be watching for the updated tour!
I'm so grateful that this was helpful to hear. There's so much more.We could talk about with this topic , but i'm hoping that this gets people Started in the right direction with having that conversation within.
Wow, you're a gem! I'm saving this video to rewatch on a quarterly basis. I need reminders of this for my entire house, not just the craft room. I conquered the FOMO urge several years ago but am not where I should be when I purge and am easily overwhelmed to the point where I procrastinate. I never really thought about it in depth, but some of the reasons you touched upon for not wanting to get rid of things really resonate with me. Thank you for sharing these insights!!! 🩷🩷🩷
Try just one little area at a time. That's how I had to do it bc I was too overwhelmed otherwise and had also procrastinated for a long time beforehand. Now I'm nearly through the process and it was actually fun! Key again was little areas. I even made swatches of lots of things thinking ahead about how I would create in future. I have little swatch books on a circle ring that hand from a magnetic hook off the side of my metal cart. Swatches for all ink colours, distress inks, watercolours, zigs, ohuhus, emboss powders, punches, and favorite colour combos. It was one little extra step that I am so happy I took. Good luck, hope you find a way to take little bites along the way and get inspired by the progress you make
@@dbathabasca Yes, I tend to bite off more than I can chew. 😊 Good advice to do little areas at a time and realize it wasn't accumulated in a day, so will take a while to go through it all! I think once enough little areas are done, it will definitely motivate me to continue. And I like your idea of the swatches. Thank you for your encouragement! 🩷
Of course, we all need encouragement. I find it helps me have more grace for myself when I see how many other creatives have or had the same struggles I do. So, thank you for sharing and enjoy falling in love with your supplies again or all the ideas you get as you go through those little areas
I'm so glad that it resonated! We are all trying to figure it out but I have found that discovering the root cause of things helps me move through it so much easier, it also helps me be kind to myself because there are times my brain is at work when I'm not. HAHA Thanks for sharing this
Hahah...I actually love doing this process so much I thought about actually doing it as a business but I might have too much on my plate at the moment! lol
Very, very good advice. I am trying not to buy new things as well, but I broke my right arm, and Tim Holtz's Tonic Lefty scissors have been a lifesaver! Also collecting ephemera as I can't journal through this past month and a half properly.
Part of the problem with buying the things, is that you see something in a video or on sale, you think it’s awesome for whatever reason, you order it, but then you have to wait… When you get it a week later (sometimes more) you forget what made you buy it in the first place. OR you’ve seen 18 other videos since then and your brain has just moved on.
WOW so on point! YES! So maybe instead of hitting purchase, we should keep a list of things we want to try and then see what we have in place of it first. I'm taking a note of this.
Great to hear you are following Clutterbug! I would love my whole craft room to be white or mint fronts only, but that is not how life works. Questions to myself are: Which was the video that made me buy this? There was a grand idea, but by the time I got the product, I had moved on. I label them research, not purge. Why did I buy a lot of stamps when I was not even taking baby steps into coloring? Luckily, I have advanced on that leg of my crafting journey, but I still hold on to stamps which are fantastic but too daunting for me where coloring goes right now. So no purge. I have only ever thrown out two stamps because they had disintegrated. It was fun watching your take on this!
Hi Mary, Thanks for the video. I really needed to hear these topics. I just keep buying and reorganizing and watching videos, but I don't get any cards made. It's kinda like I'm afraid to try to do it by myself. Although I do them by myself, it's a form of therapy that I enjoy it very much. Keep up with your education in psychology, I think you will do well!! You are an amazing woman!! xx
Thank you so much for this video! It has made me feel less guilty and was sooooo spot on! I am starting a career in becoming a certified Travel Advisor and would love to have a stash of cards to send to people who help me as well as book with me. I too find that I have been spending too much time watching the how to, buying and then not creating and feeling like I have to use the exact stamo they are using but I have soo much stuff! I need to organize, schedule/plan, then create! LOVE LOVE THIS!!! :)
I'm so happy this was helpful in you easing a bit of your guilt. It's a process and we just need to give ourselves the time to figure out the best way forward!
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MARY.......still waiting to see your room makeover! I know you have been hard at work with it.......... I am excited to see it
hahaha..me too! It's always "one more thing to do" before I record. I am going away for school soon and it's on the list. I promise!
This might already be in the comments but there is a fifth step...SENDing the cards to people after they're done. Love your videos and classes. Thank you. Best of luck in school!
I send cards to nursing homes via a FB group "Forget Me not", where there's a different home given each Monday. I send about 25 to 30 cards in each package but can only send about 1 every month - postage $10.60 for a padded USPS envelope.
@@stamps4funginI LOVE this idea!! How awesome to share with some people who probably feel forgotten.
Wow! Did this video hit the mark with me! I was just thinking the other day that my watching tutorials is outpacing my actual crafting time. Thanks for confirming this! Glad I'm not alone!
Glad it was helpful! And no, not alone. So many in the comments shared the same thing. Acknowledging that we are out of balance truly is the first step; then we can make strides to enjoy our hobby more. :)
BALANCE!! Oh, this video is absolutely perfect! Thank you!
You're so welcome! I'm so happy this was helpful!
This video couldn’t have posted at a better time! I’ve already gone through a first purge and destash, sold bundles of items on eBay, it felt really good 😊 and now have craft fund savings account for when I buy something new. Now going through second destash and reorganizing. I’ve decided on storage boxes and categories and if I buy something new and it does fit in the box then something else has to go. I’ve been crafting for 30+ years and I had a lot of stuff that I hadn’t used in years. I’ve recently been talking with a counselor from employee assistance program to help me cope with the loss of my mother to pancreatic cancer and I was amazed how much she helped me realize that I was buying stuff as a coping mechanism. One thing I do now is that I give myself 24 hours. I’ll put stuff in an online shopping cart but I don’t check out , and then go back in 24 hours …if I decide I still want them then I’ll check out but I found that if I wait more often then not I’ll decide the purchase isn’t necessary. Sorry for the novel length comment, but I really appreciate the thoughts you shared here. 😊
This is so me. In have thousands of dollars of supplies that I bought after my mom passed and I haven't used any of them. Going through my 1st purge now.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I'm so sorry for the loss of your mother; I'm sending lots of love and comforting hugs your way. That is such an important revelation about your buying and I love your process of waiting 24 hours. I decided to do the same after reading this and NOT hit purchase on the 4 pairs of pants that I don't need. I appreciate you...and so does my wallet.
I'm so sorry about your mom's passing. I am sending lots of love.
I’ve been stamping for over 25 years and I have a tendency to buy things that I like but not necessarily use, I’m sure I’m not the only one. I’m in the process now of clear and cleaning out. This video really hit home and I thought …how did she know that about me! I think there is a Mary in my head. I feel that after watching this I need to go over and get rid of more things. I really need to just quit buying, it seems like after watching some videos I always get something. My husband said to me that the mail lady asked if I was ok…. I hadn’t got any packages lately 😂 See ya on the next video, can’t wait for the shaker class!
Hahah oh no not the mail carrier worried! lol Thanks so much for sharing this; we are in this together.
I’m the same way!!
All of this!
I think we are all pretty similar in this crafty world. I have definitely slowed my spending down because I have so much after decades of crafting.
Thanks for all of the information. It is all very helpful.
I finally cleared out all of my craft supplies that my fantasy self was never going to use. It took me many years to come to the reality of my life. I love to sew, but then all of the gorgeous papers and inks and stamps came into my room mysteriously. I loved them all, but never made a card or creation. Finally, I donated all of it to groups at church and 4-H. What a relief and back to my guilt free passion of sewing garments for myself and kids!
You are right on about the 4 parts of the Hobby! The creativity gets the least amount of time. I’m glad I’m not alone in that but really want to change it. Thank you! ❤
So do I! I'm on a mission too. I am going to swap my buying for editing videos so I can create more and share more. YAY
This video is so timely for me. Absolutely brilliant. It's as if you're telling me that the thoughts I've had about decluttering my quilting are okay. I just am not doing it as much. I haven't touched my sewing machine in over six months. Partly due to the stuff piled on it. Same with the sewing room. My table is piled high. There's way too much fabric in there for such a small room. I'm going to get started later today. And work on it tomorrow and for several days, maybe weeks in the future. Thank you.
I'm so grateful it could be helpful to you. Take the time that you need and go through the mental process. I promise you'll feel so much better. I'm excited for you!
@@marypolancodesigns One trash bag is at the door.😃
You nailed it with the 4 parts of the hobby! I do way too much tutorial watching which leads to craft purchases that just sit. This is sort of the reason I cancelled most of my craft/stamp subscriptions. I’m in the process of moving which means a new craft room. I plan on letting some things go so I’m not as overwhelmed. Awesome video, Mary and perfect timing!
I'm so grateful this message found you; it's been life changing for me.
What a great video! My biggest problem is letting go of things that I no longer use. My dad grew up in the depression and didn’t get rid of things, he always said he might need it and that he spent money on it. So every time I go to declutter I hear my dad’s voice saying “don’t throw that out” . All the points you made I needed to hear so thank you for sharing. 🥰💕
I'm so happy this was helpful. I'm concentrating in Neuroscience in school and am finding out all the fascinating ways our brains live our lives for us, without us even realizing it. Having these revelations has created so much freedom for me I can't even tell you. I understand why your dad did that; it makes total sense. The great news is, you can choose for you now and create the joyful space you want. I had to give up how guilty I would feel donating things people gifted me but I realized they don't live in my house everyday, I do. So I just can't hold onto that guilt anymore.
Great video! I'm lucky that a local craft store has a yearly garage sale at their store. They give you a number, you price your items, they sell your items, you get a store credit. I do a destash at least once a year for this sale. I just did some rearranging of my craft area and did a small destash. For the person with the overstock of paper, I use paper buster templates for a pack of paper and then donate the cards. It uses the paper and it makes me happy to create and donate.
Oh that is lucky; I love that idea!
Mary, this video was very helpful to me. Just hearing your advice made me feel better
What a great thing to hear; thank you so much for sharing that with me.
THIS HAS HELPED ME AS I M GOING THRU THE DE CLUTTTERING PROCESS
That's so great to hear thank you for letting me know. Good luck with decluttering! You will make a wonderful space for yourself.
Hi Mary. I enjoyed your video and will be using it to destash and arrange my craft room soon. There will be many things that will go out in my new she-shed so I can craft in there come springtime. I always enjoy your videos. Thank you very much. 😊
That's so great to hear! THanks for sharing. A she-shed sounds amazing!
OMG! This was so helpful! You touched on my struggles. Thank you for the "kick in the butt"!🤭☺
You are so welcome! I needed it too!
Mary, you are such an inspiration. I love watching all of your videos and have taken several classes.
I have recently cleaned out my craft area. So many things you talk about resonates with me.
You have so many things on your plate take good care of yourself please.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing this feedback; I'm so glad you're here and join me for classes! I do have a lot on my plate but I've scaled back immensely to make the kids and school my top priorities. It's been a great feeling to have lots of "down" time (the reason I don't want to fill it with more hobbies that I don't love). A few years ago, I decided to work on living as a human being and not a human "doing"! :) I always need a reminder though so thank you for that.
This is a fabulous video, Mary. I reorganize and purge every 6 months. I watch while I craft. I also cut down who I watch. I don't watch channels that I hardly ever learn from. The videos/channels have to be one I learn from regularly. It has helped me to be way more creative on a daily basis.
I love your system and you found what works for you. I agree, I don't watch a whole lot of releases anymore; but I do love technique videos.
GOOD IDEA!
Fabulous Video!!!!!! Thank you for "bottom Lining" the operations of being a crafter!! Now..... I just have to do it. 🎨🌺😃
You will, just take your time and create a plan of action. Little by little. Thanks so much for the encouragement here!
Omgoodness this is so me!!! Thanks for this video.
You are so welcome!
Love you, girl. We're so alike in our organization. And need for a clean space
Love you back; yes my mind needs to be clear in order to be creative.
I haven’t even got all the way thru the video yet, and omg this is perfect. The mental part is the hardest to let go of stuff even though you love it or the money spent. Thank you Mary!
Exactly what I needed to hear.
I am excited to purge and with a realistic outlook.
This means so much to me; thank you for sharing your feedback. I think that's why I spent half the video on it; it's the most important part for making those FINAL changes we want. Thank you!
You are a rock star, I appreciate all you shared here and especially how you explained about the balance being off
Thank you so very much! I appreciate you
Thanks for this video! I'm also a hybrid--but after investing in a Cricut Joy, I labeled everything! The cat moved too fast, or I'd have labeled her, too. 😂 When I first started cardmaking, I made two mistakes. 1)I thought I needed every gadget (ie., gel plate) 2) I bought cheaply made products that didn't give great results (stamps/dies). Now, I'm careful about what I buy and resist the temptation to purchase. I put it in my cart and think about it. Good products are worth the investment--like a Misti or guillotine trimmer. Finally, I go through my limited supplies and if I haven't used something in awhile, I put it in a separate bin. If I don't use it in 3-6 months, I give it to my friends daughter who is a 3rd grade teacher. Teachers love craft supplies! Thanks again!
This is all such amazing advice; thanks so much for sharing your process!
A work colleague bought me a label maker one time because she noticed I loved to label things. I was a teacher so boxes and labels make me happy. 😊
I appreciate you and all you do to help fellow crafters. You are so caring and unselfish. Thank you, Mary.🤗
That's such thoughtful and encouraging feedback thank you so much!
Great informative video Mary 🥰 I love watching tutorials, but i use it as inspiration. I know what my style is now and I don't want to buy things i don't use ❤️ thanks for sharing and happy organizing Hugs xx I would like to see your new craft room 👍
You are such a confident crafter Joan. I love that and it's so inspiring. You seem to really enjoy your process. Thanks so much for sharing.
@@marypolancodesigns Thank you Mary 😊 I do enjoy crafting, its my therapy 👍🥰
I love the Clutterbug! I’ve been working through my house using her techniques. I have done 1 purge of craft supplies but I know I need to do more. I’ve also severely limited my buying of products and try to use what I have to get the same look. Thanks!
Same as me! we are working through it little by little. YAY
I’ve been working on not buying more things. I put what I think I want in the cart on the website and if I haven’t gone back to buy it after a few weeks I delete it. I’m not buying out of excitement for that new shiny item. I’m still working on my organization. Thanks for always giving great advice and a good way of looking at things.
I need a plan for number 5-sending/donating cards! Great video!
Great addition of #5; totally left that one out. I keep an excel with all my names and address and each month I try to go through and send off random cards then I highlight them in yellow. I restart at the beginning of every year.
This is such a great topic! I’ve been taking a hard look at my supplies and what doesn’t excite me any longer, things I haven’t used in a year or years, things I bought because I had FOMO. After clearing out some drawers and shelves, I already feel more creative and have worked on more cards and layouts since! Looking forward to seeing how your room turns out. TFS!
THAT is what it's all about; I love this for you, and soon, me. I'm about 2 days away from being done with my room and I cannot wait! YAY!
Thanks Mary for another informative video!!
A lot of what you said reminds me of myself!!
I buy even when I have several of a particular item, for instance I have 9 die cutting machines 3 electric, 4 manual and 2 mini ones!! I just can’t get rid of any!!
Patterned paper I hardly use, but figure I might, and I don’t!! Lol
As far as buying stamps, dies and stencils, If I want it I will buy it!! I have several right now I never used!!
But I always figure since I am retired I can craft whenever I want so eventually I will use everything, lol!!
One thing I always try to buy is stamps with the matching dies if it’s available, I don’t like fussy cutting unless I really need to!! 😊
I think it only starts to be a problem when it affects us negatively in some way (financially/constant guilt) but if buying brings you joy I say go for it. :)
@@marypolancodesigns I enjoy it and never feel guilty!!
When you make a card and it puts a smile on someone’s face, that’s worth all the time you spent on making it!!
Speak it! So true that our paper crafting hobby is actually multiple hobbies rolled into one! I love all aspects, but I sometimes allow the acquisition to get too far ahead of organization. Then I feel a little short on craft time because I have to sort it all.
Exactly that's what happened to me. I feel so much lighter after getting rid of all that stuff. Well, I haven't totally gotten rid of it yet.I'm going to put it for Sale
Excellent video, ive watched a few on this topic but this is by far the best.
Wow, thanks! This is such a huge compliment, really Thank you
This is great advice, Mary, and reflection of how we are derailing ourselves. Buying too much and crafting too little - I am guilty of that! Thank you for sharing with us.
Thank you so much for this encouragement. I'm so glad I realized it. I finished purging through my office and i feel SOOOO much better already!
Great idea to use pattern paper as decor!!
Thanks so much! i did this once even though my tastes have since changed I do love the idea.
My local scrapbook store has a flea market every year. This year I was quarantined in my craft room so I went through everything and packaged it and sold them….I made over $400 credit towards new craft supplies. However, the lesson learned was that over the years I spent too much on things that I never used. Now I am more mindful of “add to cart”.
WOW thank you so much for sharing this; not only the testimony of resale but your lessons learned and mindset shift.
I’m a 25+ year stamper and I’ve learned a long time ago that when watching videos, most every card can be recreated with product I already own. I learned this a long time ago, mostly because my craft fun’s is not unlimited and because one of my customers (I was a demonstrator) went bankrupt buying stamping products! That was a real eye opener.
With that said, I use to buy things in quantity. I made the projects but always had leftovers. Those are the items that I keep hanging on too and I really need to admit that I’ll never go back to them. Thanks for the reminder!
Good video, can’t wait to see your progress.
Great point about leftovers; I stopped keeping scraps of paper a few years ago. I don't make enough in bulk to keep going back to them. If it's large enough for a die i'll keep it but likely it's getting recycled.
Incredible tips. I’m also working on letting go of some negative energy I’ve carried through life. So with all this info I’m excited 😊
This made my heart jump! Releasing negative energy makes way for inspired energy! So excited for you!
All the wisdom required for getting organized is right here. And the encouragement. Thank you, Mary.
That's so kind and encouraging; thank you!
This was very informative and reassuring of how I think I manage my room. Right now I’m frustrated by mess but I intend to start with getting rid of things I just don’t need and giving it to my granddaughters new school. I’ll ask them first if they can use these things. I’m not buying much anymore because I don’t know where to put it. Christmas card making is coming up and I make close to 100 cards and need room to spread out. Thanks for your help. BALANCE is the key word.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I'm so grateful that it was helpful to you! I find myself needing this reminder often and after I purged this last time, i feel GREAT!
GREAT video! I am lucky that a friend's daughter is a elementary school teacher, and anything she doesn't want she takes to the school. I have definitely been guilty of I see it, I want it. I have purged a few times in the last year - in May I gave her over 100! items. I still need to do more. Learning to let go of the "I spent money on it" guilt is rough, but once you get past that, at least for me, it made it so much easier to see those supplies for what they were - clutter. Something I've also started doing is being realistic about the supplies. While I may like it and may have used it a few times, how many Halloween cards do I *really* send every year? How many Christmas, etc.
That’s a huge one! I never bought Halloween stuff because I couldn’t imagine sending a Halloween card, but for some reason last year I got sucked into buying some. Now I need to donate them to someone who actually enjoys making Halloween cards/goodies. The companies make it hard with a release every month and make you feel like you must have these things. I need to learn what I really love and just buy those things.
Exactly the same for me, I have paired down the absolute minimum for certain holidays and it's helped a lot to push me outside my comfort zone.
I agree, that's why I don't really watch release videos much anymore. I think it's fun but I also realize I have similar things to what they are selling.
Wow!! You just smacked me over the head - I’m so imbalanced! Way too much time spent in the first three and no where near enough of the crafting! Thank you, Mary!!
Take comfort in the fact that you aren’t alone. Trying very hard to find the proper balance. Hard when the room is overflowing with “stuff” as well. I don’t want to toss it if I will use it, but I haven’t used it because I have too much stuff. Vicious circle!
I'm so glad that was helpful to hear; I realized it one day and then started doing more of what I actually wanted to.
Indeed it is! That's why I spent the first half of the video talking about mindset and discovery. I really think that's the main way for us to break through and pair down.
I clean out my stash items every two years, I am very lucky to have nieces that are teachers that I get to pass it onto.
Oh that is so great that you get to give them the items.
Thank you for this video, Mary!! I’m 78 and have been making cards for 28 years. I really haven’t eliminated anything from my stash, although I did teach a class here in our clubhouse for several years, and used my stamps, machines, inks, papers, embellishments, etc. The ladies made 3 cards, learning new techniques, etc., and the best thing was that every one of these ladies now makes cards! Anyway, it’s time to purge, and you’ve made me feel good with the last 28 years, but I’m not quitting - I always have a card “on the go” and still love this craft!! Looking forward to seeing your new look!
This is great! I am moving into classes more and more because I want to build a community where we can use what we have and enjoy the process more.
Thank you, Mary. You got inside my head
YAY! It's nice in there! :) Thank you for this
Fabulous video! I appreciate the steps to help me think about my stuff. I am going to skip your next class as I do not like shaker cards. I am planning to watch a few of the Stress Free Summit videos or just use my crafty stuff my way. Thanks for sharing.
Great plan, there will be so much good content at the summit! YAY
Mary, you made so much sense to me. Your thought process about destashing, organizing, and keeping out things you use all the time and putting other items away, out of sight, but still very accessible is what I want too. Please share your thought process of how you will arrange your new crafting spaces. I'd like to have my stamps, dies, stencils by company, then by theme - divided and labeled, then stored by company in alpha order if room is available. I want a separate section just for Christmas/Winter by company, then by theme (Bells, Nativity, Santa, Snow, etc.) Do you have a better system?
I dont have a better system than that! Sounds great. It also depends on what you use your crafting for too: hobby or business. Mine is more business so I make sure I label with company so I can answer questions about them but not all care to do that. Sounds like you figured out what works for you tho
Thank you for this, Mary. One thing I've tried to be more mindful of in recent months is the cost of my purchases. I have noticed that many (at least, it seems like many) stamp companies have gone to 6x8" stamp sets. Which take up more room in my organization system, simply because I need wider containers for the wider sets. Because I don't get large stamp sets that often, I also make my own storage pockets for larger sets, rather than buying already-made ones. So it takes me a little more time & effort to put them away. Also, the larger stamp sets are more expensive. And, if I choose to get the coordinating dies, welllll.... I used to get coordinating dies almost automatically when I would get stamp sets, figuring it was just easier to use those than fussy cut or find some other way to use the stamps (e.g. on a separate panel on my card). Especially since I always struggled with fussy cutting and getting a fairly even margin around the image so that it looked good. Thankfully, a while back I learned a technique from Kristina Werner - sketch a cutting line around an image or greeting to guide me when I cut. It is an extra step, but not much longer than lining up a die & taping it in place, & I find it SO much easier to erase an errant pencil mark than to miscut with my scissors. I'd call it a game changer, at least for me. So now, when it comes to coordinating dies, I am much more thoughtful. Is there something about those dies that is much harder to do with scissors and/or a craft knife (e.g. do they cut out an interior portion that would be really hard to do by hand)? Or do I need to make a lot of the same image for mass production, which would be more facilitated by having dies? (Spoiler alert - I rarely do!) Or can I just fussy cut after drawing around the image? The positive answer often goes to Question #3. Also, I have several stamp sets that never had coordinating dies, so I have to fussy cut them if I want a cut-out image anyway. So Kristina's method helps with those, too. Anyway, that's the long version of one example of watching my $$$. Thank you again for sharing your views. I kind of cringed when you were showing the chaotic condition of your space, though. Hopefully, if you are still dealing with that, it won't last too much longer. Take care, & I hope you have a fabulous day! :)
wow thank you so much for all of this great information. I love the sketch idea you shared and the questions you ask yourself before buying dies. Very clever! I cringed at my space too...haha but thankfully it's not like that right now. I'm about 2 days away from a finished room. woot woot! I can't wait. I am trying to start off my week organized, ready, and mostly inspired!
Really hitting it Mary! I have been purchasing WAY to much for 2 years straight now. Getting back in to stamping after many years away, I felt free to purchase any and all the things, because I could. I didn't have it already, I had the space and money. NOW my space is overflowing, and nope, haven't used a fraction of the things. I'm not ready to purge as it's all new to me and I WANT to use it. Have to have a serious talk with self and slow down on the buying and speed up on the making/crafting/having fun! Yep, all the 4 parts of our hobby is totally accurate. My goal is to do more classes and in fact I purchased your bundle on your Labor Day sale. Thank you! Just have to put it in my calendar to now DO some classes! I don't know how you do all you do. Simply amazing girl! Happy Weekend!
I'm so happy you'll be watching the classes; let me know if you have questions along the way. I was running into the same issue with having the space therefore filling it with stuff. I am actually able to now rework my whole space for what I need today, because I was able to make so much space from the purge. Super excited to show it.
I’m in the process of sorting my craft room and trying to decide which crafts to give up😬. Thanks for this video at has been very helpful…as long as I implement everything you talked about😂. You hit the nail on the head in so many instances, I feel this was just what I needed, thank you
This is so encouraging thank you. I'm so happy it was helpful. Good luck with your process and remember to be patient with yourself along the way. :)
Just what I needed to hear! Thank you for these reflections as I am soon to be a new retiree will have some "extra" time but "less" spendable money. My craft space needs to be more serene and less chaotic and I am looking forward to putting your ideas into practice. P.S. I may need to re-watch this video! 💗
Watch as much as you like! :) Thank you for this. Take it one drawer and one day at a time.
I think many of us may need to rewatch. I’m going to sit with the mental stuff for awhile before I start to purge.
I may need to rewatch multiple times!! LOL
Thank you for the video! I have been moving my craft room to a different room. I've used that to destash. I’ve been donating my treasures to a family in my church who homeschools. I feel very good about giving it away, and if there is something I really want to use, I can borrow it. Win/win.🙂
Such a win/win; love that set up. Thanks so much for sharing this!
Hi Mary, absolutely wonderful thoughts on why we, the crafters, hold onto thisngs. I've been through that process myself. I've gotten rid of half of my books (it was tough, because my books are a sort of sacred items for me) and created space to put my other stuf I can't live without. That was such a game-changer.
I loved the first hint: "Give yourself grace." So true and very important.
When I de-cluttered my books I remembered exactly when and where I bought each one. It told me something about the frame of mind I was in when the book was bought. Am I still in that frame of mind? Nope. Bye-Bye book. I had someone over with me, and she was impressed on my memory and that I was able to get rid of books despite the memory.
I think that many of us crafters are "hunter-gatherers". It is true for me.
Currently I am de-stashing my beads. Hard to believe but I have more han a dozen of those small-parts magazine boxes filled to the brim with beads. All of those except two will have to go. Why two? Well, I've been ruminating over the issue, Which sizes and colors do I absolutely love?
About two years ago I donated two pounds of beads (mostly acrylic and plastic) to a kindergarten near me. The lady there was absolutely over the moon. She even got a few spools of elastic.thread.
She was so happy she even hugged me for the donation.
I've also donated a huge stash of papers to moms of elementary school kids. My friend brought them to her workplace and she told me when she was returning after hanging up her coat, the bags were plundered, i.e. empty. That is such a happy feeling.
I just deeply root for paper-crafting, that is card making, bullet joutrnals and calendar making, water coloring and zentangle. That's the stuff I'm going to keep. It's still a lot. But I have the space to keep it.
Yep, I love Cas from Clutterbug as well. What I've learned from Jessica from "How to ADHD" is the point of performance. Keep the things you need the most at arm's length.
In the meantime I have a craft cart. On that cart I keep the tools, the die-cutting machine, the stamping platform, the paper trimmer, the laminator. I wheel it over to where I'm crafting and I'm set.
I loved your video, Mary. Thank you.
My goodness, everyone is in my head today! I do have PTSD and it shows out in my card making. I love Cas from Clutterbug also. Now I am ready for manifestation and pray that I am able follow through!
Oh thank you so much for sharing all of this; it's so helpful to hear how others do it and things you 've gone through as well. I have a hard time donating some books because I feel the same about them. It's a process.
Mary I so needed this video. I have been struggling getting back into my overstuffed craft room. Time to purge “you said $ is already gone and not going to recoup $ every week by keeping it!” Guess items from 2007 fit that category 😂
Hahah..possibly yes, 2007 might fit. Thanks for letting me know this was helpful.
Thanks, Mary. Good video! I'm not just a crafter, but a former teacher. Teachers save EVERYTHING, so when you combine the two activities, you can guess what my craft area looks like. I agree there is a psychological aspect to buying/collecting/saving. Many Decluttering websites address the psychology of holding onto stuff, and they really helped me to work through my tendency to keep stuff. You said many of the same things they do.
My sister is a teacher.So I understand this completely. It's so hard sometimes , especially if you don't know what the future holds for you and you may need That Item again
I fall asleep peacefully watching tutorials. I'm a procrastiwatcher though 😂
I've done this too it's So nice
Great video, Mary! I destashed last year and am ready to do the second purge in the next few months. It felt great to clean up my space and have room to operate. I think my biggest problem at the moment is the "what if" mindset. I'm in the middle of cleaning out a den closet which I think was completely filled with "what if" items. I think your advice to think about the mindset first is right on point!
Thank you so much for sharing this. That what if mindset really held me back from actually decluttering my space. I just had to get super honest with where I'm at and where I'll never be again.
I definitely have hoarding tendencies. When I was clearing my late mums house I did a bit of clearing out of my own house. It felt cathartic at the time but I bitterly regret some of the things I got rid of. It’s good to declutter but take time to consider and don’t feel ‘guilted’ into keeping things that make you happy or have happy memories attached.😊
Agree completely; we have to be ready to let some of the things go and my hope with this video was trying to help people get ready in their own way. Thanks for sharing this!
What great timing, Mary, I was in my craft room today and I felt overwhelmed with all the stuff. Thank you so much for sharing your organizing thought process. I appreciate it
Oh I'm so happy this was helpful! One day (and box) at a time. We'll get there!
I have worked very hard on identifying what I will actually use and what my fantasy self would like to use when it comes to buying and to keeping supplies. I have also made a list of items in my studio I want to use - and I have been slowly working my way down that list. I have decluttered my studio numerous times, but it could take another round! TFS.
HA...fantasy self! I have one of her too. Thanks so much for sharing this; it's so helpful to know how people are approaching it.
I am so glad I found you and this video. I retired last May from my teaching job and want to declutter my whole house and my craft room and my sewing room. You gave me a lot of good points to think about and will start implementing them.!!
I'm so happy it was helpful and encouraging. You just have to start, that's really it. Do it slow or fast, doesn't matter, just start creating your space how you want it.
I've been making.
Cards, since 1990, and I sold stampin' up for a while, but I didn't like the way they handled a lot of things, so I quit. I'm working on my studio a little at a time. I got rid of a lot of things, but I can't seem to stop buying things that are new. So I'm between a rock and a hard place, but I do like all your tips. Mary. I think you did a great job. So the next time you wanna come to Florida, you can come help me design my studio, LOL.
Oh that would be so fun. This video helped me see a lot of us are in the same boat and making me think about how I can do more content like this.
GREAT VID, I buy & watch more than anything. I need to rebalance, I want to create more.
Same For me I really do too.
This video is SPOT ON! I'm overrun with craft supplies, aside from just the clutter, it also creates decision fatigue! Thank you for the video, and reminding me why I need to purge!
YES!!! Decision fatigue; that's the term I was searching for. Thank you!
Boy do I love listening to this. Thanks so much.
Well that's a great compliment thank you so very much!
Such a wonderful, caring video, Mary. Thank you!
Oh yes, the “just in case” clutter! There’s also the fantasy clutter - if I had this *supply,* I would be so creative and make All the Things. And wouldn’t procrastinate! lol
A wonderful nonprofit thrift shop in Rockville, MD (Life 4 Animals) that donated proceeds to animal rescue groups, closed. I used to donate so so much to them, and was told everything sold so quickly. But I don’t have a good place now for card making supplies - I’ve looked extensively.
I’m a member of Take Back Your House with your Cas (Clutterbug), Dana K White (Decluttering at the Speed of Life and many more books) and Dawn, the Minimal Mom (terrific if you’re not a mom too). They’re having a huge sale now for their course, and there’s an ongoing FB group and events. No affiliation other than being a member!
Thank you for the suggestions
I love watching her videos and did see their course; i'll have to check it out for sure. I wish I knew of a better MD drop off place other than the Good will, Unique, and Donation Nation which is where we frequent. They are thrift stores.
My pleasure!
@@marypolancodesigns we used to live in Montgomery County but moved to NoVA and still donated to Life4Animals in Rockville. It wasn’t a bad trip non-rush hour. Now we donate to The Treasure Hound in Fairfax County, which supports a rescue group, plus Second Chance Thrift & Gift that benefits the Humane Society.
But heavy duty card making supplies like dies and stamps? No. I did donate 8 bankers boxes filled with super sized paper paint chips and other items (from when I had a color consulting business) to an art teacher. These are large chips some paint manufacturers provide to architects/interior decorators/designers/color consultants.
Fairfax County school system has an on-line system for donations to teachers. You submit a form with a donation description, and if approved, they’re listed and teachers can respond. It was less than an hour before the art teacher responded to my listing - I was shocked!
I am definitely out of balance. I watch A LOT of tutorials and have now procured much of the products. When I do sit down to try some of the projects I've seen, I give up because I can remember it exactly or I haven't t developed enough skill to make it look "good." This has been an ongoing thing my whole life and I'm really trying to be more mindful of just forcing my self to continue the project, even when I didn't do it well. Completion is my goal.
Well I hope you know you are in good company! So many of us do this and I have been feeling like it's taking the joy out of my sessions recently. I think I'm going to go back to doing live classes once a week so I can get to producing more.
This was a fantastic video. I'm in the process of rebuilding a house, so I only have a small table to work on. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to hunt and peck for every craft supply. It really prevents me from doing anything bc I get overwhelmed thinking about taking stuff out and then having to clear the table off for dinner. I can't wait to get into my space and organize. I will definitely need to rewatch this video before I do as a refresher. Thank you so much for all you do!
I hear you on being displaced. Since I started crafting I've moved 6 times and each time it takes me forever to get situation into what works for me. I can't wait for you to get into your space either. :)
I loved your video. I want to do this. I need this. I need to craft more less buying hope i can do this.
You CAN do this! That's right! :) Big hugs
I feel like I've just met my clone. hehe hehe You are a Mary P, I am a Mary P..and you have described me to a t! I have been "re" organizing my craft room yet again. I'm down in the basement, so it's no beautiful place, but I am working on purging items that I have. All of the things you mentioned..guilt, et. are reasons I have so much. Lots have been given to me, but it's time to let that stuff go. And your right..if you haven't used it in years why in the world am I hanging on to it?? Sorry, rambling. One thing that has helped me tremendously is filing cabinets. I have 3 full sized ones (only had to buy 1 for 12 bucks) and they have made a huge diff. I don''t like to see all of the stuff, so having my paper and stamps/dies in the filing cabinet has lifted a huge load off. I file by company so I know where my stuff is and the only things I have hanging out are the pretty sprays and inks. yay :D Great video..thanks for putting it out.
Yes so me! I like to see some of it if it's organized or pretty but mostly I put stuff away! Thanks so much for sharing this
Yep, I need to purge. Both card area and art studio. I LOVE to watch card making & Sean the Sheepman videos, with morning coffee. (Have Patriot my border collie and love Sean in Scotland & his collies). Only do 1 hour each morning now. I do a lot of ink work and will only use Ranger distress products. ONLY buy what I feel I will use (stamp & die wise). No more Christmas stuff - won't live long enough to use what I have (purge some of that). You hit it on the nail head on a lot of things kiddo. Great video. Thanks
Thanks so much for all this! It took me a while to figure these things out so if they are helpful to even one person I'm happy. I love your system, sounds perfect.
thank you, Giving myself grace was the best advice, I often feel overwhelmed and guilty for having such a messy room with so much stuff, it will be a slow process for me,
I'm so glad that part landed well; it's so very important during the process.
This is spot on! Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure thanks so much for the encouragement.
I've lost 3 homes due to domestic violence and lost everything. I didn't have anything for a long time. I became disabled after the last time and was in a women's refuge. I got a lovely bungalow and started craft for the first time. I believe that I have kept hold of things as I went without for so long and I'm slowly getting back my confidence sadly not health. I plan to start decluttering so I can have a nice space. I'm at the stage that I'm overwhelmed and not crafting. Thanks for this
Thank you so much for sharing this part of your story. I love that your diving into some of the reasons for keeping things; remember to go slow if needed and be kind to your choices along the way. Soon you will design a space you love and you'll get back to creating!
@marypolancodesigns thank you lovely 😊 xx
I watch in the evening. Create during the day. Shop 1 time every month i store all after use. And purge once a year but my space is stil a disaster! Haha ce
Love your process; thank you so much for sharing!
Really enjoyed your video. I think the actual creating part has shrunk to about 10% for me. Watching tutorials and browsing on Pinterest has expanded to about 80%. I was more creative when I only had a few supplies and I came up with ideas on my own. 🤔
This right here! It is a hard sell for us to understand that less actually is more. Since I've gotten rid of so much I find myself being more creative with what's left over.
Mary, Thank you so so much!! This was so very helpful!! I did feel guilty for a while about buying and then not using it!! But what you said that I have already spent the money is so true!! I have a friend that I give the supplies to. Her grand kids come over and they have something to play with!! I did to go through my supplies again!! I also not buying anything more for a while as I need to see what I am going to keep!! Thanks so much!! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!
Thank you so much! :) I really appreicate you sharing this!
I post some of my things on facebook marketplace and put some requirements for things like free to scrapbookers so I know that the things are going to the right people. Some things just won’t be good for a kindergarten class to use. I love being able to share my things with someone else and seeing how excited they are.
That's a great idea.Thanks for sharing it
How did you get into my head Mary? I'll be moving in about a year and I need every minute to clean and purge. I have a lot of stamps, dies, and paper. Over the last few years I realized I like making cards with dies more than stamping. I have loads of ribbon and paper that I never, ever use. Thank you for telling us this is a process and won't be done in a day.
I’m glad you mentioned this. I was very I’ll and while I was “away” from crafting, dies took over. I jumped in and realized, I don’t like creating with dies a lot. I do enjoy some, but mostly it’s just too fiddly for me, and I like stamping and coloring more. Even though we like opposite things, isn’t it nice to have that knowledge about yourself? Now I am busy trying to purge many of the dies I bought.
I am so glad you brought that up, that fact that you've realized you like working with dies over stamps. This is another key component to knowing our space. What do we actually like to work with. I find myself drawn to making backgrounds and using dies as well; stamps for sentiments. It helps when I'm decluttering to revert back to this. Thank you!
Love this so much; such an important point to be made. Thank you
Hi Mary! I recently moved and had to do alot of purging. I moved from a small house to a one bedroom apartment because I could not keep up with taking care of a whole house by myself. So I had to donate, recycle, and just throw alot of things away. I am in my new apartment now and I still need to downsize because I stil have too much stuff. Right now as I watched this video I decided to make another trip to a thrift store to donate a few more things. I am also in the mddle of reorganizing the things i still want to keep to make my new living space more usable and not just a lot of storage space. Therefore I have a craft corner, a music corner, and a writing/inspirational area. And I am still working on setting up my new home as I want it to be. thank you for all the great ideas that you have shared in the video.
This sounds wonderful.Thank you so much for sharing. I know you'll make your new space exactly as you want it. I.
Feel so drawn To have so much Less these days.
Thank you so much for this. I saw myself in pretty much everything you said. I do need to destash old hobby supplies…you’re right, I already paid for them, so keeping & not using isn’t giving my money back 😂TYFS!! 🌺🌺
I'm so happy it was helpful thank you for sharing that!
Thanks Mary I loved this and yes I agree on the 5th..sending. At first I made about 200 cards in all kinds of genre. My husband politely mentioned "What are you going to do with all those cards,honey?" I was on a creative roll and just laughed and said..."I guess give em to people I dont know" Well, I started taking a package of about 15 cards 4 times a year to the assisted living center in our town. It feels pretty nice to see them smile. Most of them want to send cards to grand or great grandchildren. Keep up the good work. And thank you again...
Ps..i have the same zebra carpet runner as you in your hallway!..lol
First, WOW on having the same carpet...that's crazy! Lol Second, how great of you to do that, so thoughtful; thank you for sharing!
Great video Mary - Thanks for making it. I would add a 5th part to this wonderful hobby of ours and that is "What do you do with what you've created?". And perhaps a 6th part of "How do you give back to others?". I think if we plan all the way through the process it helps us use more supplies and feel good about it, which makes us want to create more.
Absolutely.Your spot on.Thank you so much for that addition
Great video, Mary. I started making cards, but have become bored with it. Now, I'm trying to use up everything I have and maybe throw some stuff out. Thank you.
This is really great self-reflection. I walked away from my space for a few weeks because I was looking at with frustrated eyes and part of it was because I felt pressure to create when I just wanted to play. That's hard as a youtuber sometimes. You want to have content that is useful but the process can throw off creativity at times. Thanks so much for sharing
Always check with your local Nursing homes (ask for activity person) and daycares. They have strict budgets and always need Lots of craft items .
This is such a great idea.Thanks for sharing
Wonderfully said, Mary. Your psych classes are paying off in more than one way. So nice to see you in such a good place.
Thank you so much! It really has been So fascinating for me and i'm learning so very much.
Great video I can really relate. ❤
Thanks so much Jan!
@@marypolancodesignsno thank you Mary ❤
Mary, thank you so much for this video! After almost two years , I am finally getting my craft room organized. It had gotten so bad I couldn't focus in my room and had started bringing things down to my dining room to make cards. Everytime I tried to get organized, I'd get sidetracked by a stamp set. Or paper. Or even my ink pads....thinking oh this will make a beautiful card! I've been putting a lot of thought into the layout and what would work for me. Also how I wanted to store my stamps, dies. Now that I've figured all that out, I'm slowly (oh so slowly) getting them put into place. I also had gotten into buying way too many stamps and supplies. Getting to the place I'm in now has been a challenge. I'm thankful for the journey and looking forward to an organized space I can create in! Your video was a validation for me.....slow and steady is what I've needed to get to this point. Thank you again!
Thank you so much for sharing this; you hit on a lot of the things I've experienced too. My "sanctuary" was turning into a stress point for me so change had to be made. I'm so very excited about it! I think the content of my videos is even going to shift a little bit. More ideas into using our items.
I thought I 'needed' an xtool. It was fun, lots of work. I soon realized I would rather play with my cricut and paper, etc. What a relief I felt as my son drove away with it. He's really into it and having a grand old time!!
This is great though that someone else did get to enjoy it after you checked it out. I'm sure he's really happy with it
wishi had watched this sooner but i am at the end of my organizing now and happy with it!
That's so great to hear. I know it's made such a big difference in my space.
MARY THIS IS MY FIRST TIME ON UR CHANNEL I JUST SAW THIS NOW.WOW WOW I ACTUALLY NEEDED THIS THE ADVICE IS GREAT
YAY! Thanks for letting me know that!
Thank you, Mary
You are so welcome
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video! You shared a LOT of really helpful info, specifically with letting go. And I 100% agree that crafting is a 4 part hobby lol. I'm currently in the process of going through my entire stash I've built up over the years. I'm finally being honest with myself, a lot of purchases were impulse because it was cute or had an idea in the moment and never went through with it. And now it's to the point I have so much I don't use, I'm overwhelmed. So I'm slowly destashing. Going to try to sell some stuff online and possibly have a garage sale soon, and whatever doesn't go will be donated. It's a lot to do and go through, but I think it'll be worth it! Good luck with your own purge and rearranging! I'll be watching for the updated tour!
I'm so grateful that this was helpful to hear. There's so much more.We could talk about with this topic , but i'm hoping that this gets people Started in the right direction with having that conversation within.
Wow, you're a gem! I'm saving this video to rewatch on a quarterly basis. I need reminders of this for my entire house, not just the craft room. I conquered the FOMO urge several years ago but am not where I should be when I purge and am easily overwhelmed to the point where I procrastinate. I never really thought about it in depth, but some of the reasons you touched upon for not wanting to get rid of things really resonate with me. Thank you for sharing these insights!!! 🩷🩷🩷
Try just one little area at a time. That's how I had to do it bc I was too overwhelmed otherwise and had also procrastinated for a long time beforehand. Now I'm nearly through the process and it was actually fun! Key again was little areas. I even made swatches of lots of things thinking ahead about how I would create in future. I have little swatch books on a circle ring that hand from a magnetic hook off the side of my metal cart. Swatches for all ink colours, distress inks, watercolours, zigs, ohuhus, emboss powders, punches, and favorite colour combos. It was one little extra step that I am so happy I took. Good luck, hope you find a way to take little bites along the way and get inspired by the progress you make
@@dbathabasca Yes, I tend to bite off more than I can chew. 😊 Good advice to do little areas at a time and realize it wasn't accumulated in a day, so will take a while to go through it all! I think once enough little areas are done, it will definitely motivate me to continue. And I like your idea of the swatches. Thank you for your encouragement! 🩷
Of course, we all need encouragement. I find it helps me have more grace for myself when I see how many other creatives have or had the same struggles I do. So, thank you for sharing and enjoy falling in love with your supplies again or all the ideas you get as you go through those little areas
@@dbathabasca 💖
I'm so glad that it resonated! We are all trying to figure it out but I have found that discovering the root cause of things helps me move through it so much easier, it also helps me be kind to myself because there are times my brain is at work when I'm not. HAHA
Thanks for sharing this
Really good stuff Mary! When can you get here? 😎
Hahah...I actually love doing this process so much I thought about actually doing it as a business but I might have too much on my plate at the moment! lol
@@marypolancodesigns it does sound like you have a full plate for sure! Maybe one day you’ll venture out and do it. It could be fun!
Very, very good advice. I am trying not to buy new things as well, but I broke my right arm, and Tim Holtz's Tonic Lefty scissors have been a lifesaver! Also collecting ephemera as I can't journal through this past month and a half properly.
Oh no! I'm sorry to hear about your arm. I am sending fast healing vibes. ;)
Part of the problem with buying the things, is that you see something in a video or on sale, you think it’s awesome for whatever reason, you order it, but then you have to wait… When you get it a week later (sometimes more) you forget what made you buy it in the first place. OR you’ve seen 18 other videos since then and your brain has just moved on.
Now you’re in MY head 😂🤣. That’s exactly how I feel
WOW so on point! YES! So maybe instead of hitting purchase, we should keep a list of things we want to try and then see what we have in place of it first. I'm taking a note of this.
Great to hear you are following Clutterbug! I would love my whole craft room to be white or mint fronts only, but that is not how life works.
Questions to myself are: Which was the video that made me buy this? There was a grand idea, but by the time I got the product, I had moved on. I label them research, not purge.
Why did I buy a lot of stamps when I was not even taking baby steps into coloring? Luckily, I have advanced on that leg of my crafting journey, but I still hold on to stamps which are fantastic but too daunting for me where coloring goes right now. So no purge.
I have only ever thrown out two stamps because they had disintegrated.
It was fun watching your take on this!
Such great questions to ask yourself to get to some understanding. I am taking note! :)
Hi Mary, Thanks for the video. I really needed to hear these topics. I just keep buying and reorganizing and watching videos, but I don't get any cards made. It's kinda like I'm afraid to try to do it by myself. Although I do them by myself, it's a form of therapy that I enjoy it very much. Keep up with your education in psychology, I think you will do well!! You are an amazing woman!! xx
Thank you so much for this encouragement! I really appreciate it very much!
Thank you so much for this video! It has made me feel less guilty and was sooooo spot on! I am starting a career in becoming a certified Travel Advisor and would love to have a stash of cards to send to people who help me as well as book with me. I too find that I have been spending too much time watching the how to, buying and then not creating and feeling like I have to use the exact stamo they are using but I have soo much stuff! I need to organize, schedule/plan, then create! LOVE LOVE THIS!!! :)
I'm so happy this was helpful in you easing a bit of your guilt. It's a process and we just need to give ourselves the time to figure out the best way forward!